Long-time Tuscaloosa residents remember Martin Newton teaching passing drills and dribbling drills alongside his dad at youth camps that the Bama Bounders would show off at halftime of Alabama basketball games.
Granted, teaching a young pupil how to spin the rock on their finger was a lost art.
More than 40 years later, Newton can be found making mad dashes through airports on busy Monday mornings, traveling around the country with the basketball team at Samford University, the school he serves today as athletics director.
It’s not a life too far removed from what he knew growing up as the coach’s kid at the University of Alabama. When the C.M. Newton Classic rolls around each year, all of those memories come flooding back with the legacy left behind by one of Alabama basketball’s legends.
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“I’ve got so many memories throughout my entire life that have been about him and basketball, and I’m still in the basketball realm and athletics realm because of those great memories,” Martin said on Monday. He was at a Chicago airport en route to the Bulldogs visit to play Tom Izzo and the Spartans at Michigan State, following in the footsteps of his father.
From 1968 to 1980, C.M. Newton served the Crimson Tide as basketball coach. The Naismith Hall of Famer produced three consecutive SEC championships from 1974 to 1976 and led UA to postseason play six times in his tenure.
But those things wouldn’t have happened without the greatest mark that Newton left on the program that his since gone on to make a historic Final Four appearance last season.
Martin Newton, son of Alabama basketball legend, remembers father before C.M. Newton Classic
Newton is remembered for his role in helping introduce the shot clock and the 3-point line, but he revolutionized college basketball in the early 1970s by signing the first Black players at UA, becoming the first coach to put forth an all-Black starting five. He also brought in names like Wendell Hudson, who wasn’t just the first Black basketball player, but scholarship athlete at Alabama.
C.M. Newton, a Kentucky alum, is also credited with making the first Black coaching hires for men’s and women’s basketball during his tenure as his alma mater’s athletics director between 1989 and 2000.
He died in 2018 at age 88.
“The hardest part for any family is when somebody’s gone and you have the fear of them not being remembered,” Martin Newton said.
Martin Newton commended UA athletics director Greg Byrne and event organizers like Michael Eady of Knight-Eady, for keeping his father’s “memory alive” with the annual Birmingham game, which this year featured Alabama vs. Illinois.
“It means the world to me and my family,” Martin said. “He was a very special man, very special coach. Great father. Great grandfather.”
The C.M. Newton Classic between No. 7 Alabama (3-1) and No. 20 Illinois (3-0) will be played at approximately 8 p.m. CT Friday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. For those not in the stands, the top 20 matchup will be broadcast on SEC Network, which can be streamed on ESPN+ or with a free trial on Fubo.
C.M. Newton Classic recognizes local charities working towards social justice and diversity
Involved in planning from the event’s conception, Martin has been able bring family to the event honoring his father since the inaugural game in 2021. Plans for the 2024 game included having two of Martin’s nephews, his wife, son, grandson and sister all in attendance.
“Two of his nephews will be here. My wife, my son, my grandson will all be here. My sister’s coming here and we’ve got a good contingent for this. It’s the first time they’ve really been able to come in for this event,” Martin said.
The C.M. Newton Classic makes monetary awards to charities each year. A charity run by Martin’s son, Charles – Amen, that runs through his gym, Alabama Hoops – is among the 2024 recepients.
Martin recalled organizing the first C.M. Newton Classic when the country was undergoing fights for social justice and aiming to create an event in Birmingham that would recognize what his father did to “integrate the Southeastern Conference.”
“It’s really cool to see those charities and those groups come together. They’re all deserving and they’re all worthy,” Martin said.
“To be able to pick four that really had a major impact on creating social justice and doing things for diversity within our community is awesome.”
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Son of Alabama basketball legend remembers dad before C.M. Newton Classic
